Glee 2013 Chapter 9
by mudv213
Summary: While preparing for Regionals, the New Directions begin to fall apart when Mr. Schuester suffers a tragic loss, Tina takes up a dangerous addiction, and Xavier begins a bullying streak. Meanwhile, Alexander helps Artie to walk, Brittany and Amanda return, and Kurt becomes his own worst enemy. I do not own Glee or any of the songs or artists mentioned in this story. Reviews welcome.
1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

Following the Ohio Outcasts' riveting performance of Youngstown's "Dance Floor (Don't Worry)", in which all four boys had an equal chance in the spotlight, through the school halls, Artie was attempting to catch up to Gina to try and explain what happened with Becky.

"Gina, come on. Will you please talk to me?"

"What's there to talk about?" asked Gina, who was walking away from him at such a fast pace that he was already getting tired.

"Becky and I weren't in a relationship. We established a rapport, and that's all. We're just friends."

"That's what they all say, Artie. It usually ends up being the other way around."

"I'm not in love with Becky. She's into me. It's kind of one-sided, you know?"

"Well now that you're in the same room together, I'm sure that's likely to change."

"You're getting worked up over nothing, I swear."

"Yeah, well that's what my first, second, and third boyfriend said. I've got to get to class."

With that, Gina took off sprinting, and Artie attempted to catch up to her. Unfortunately, he crashed into Scott on the way.

"Hey, watch where you're going, noodle-legs!"

"You watch where you're going", said Artie as he tried to start after Gina again.

"What did you say to me, four-eyes?" Scott snarled, and he picked up one side of Artie's wheelchair and toppled him over with ease. Artie crashed to the floor and rolled uncontrollably away from the wheelchair, coming to a stop at the lockers. Scott started to leave the area, but Artie began to crawl after him, grunting loudly with each pull.

"I've been called worse things, man, but I'm not going to indulge your pride."

"Yeah, well, keep coming after me, then. Odds are that you won't be able to reach me before I kick you back down to the ground."

"You are not going to get away with abusing someone you think is lower than yourself."

"Oh, what are you going to do, Professor X? You going to zap me with psychic powers that I know you don't have?"

Artie sighed heavily and pushed himself to a crouching position, having stopped just short of Scott's feet.

"Yeah, I didn't think so. You're a dweeb who is never to going to make it in the real world, both because you can't and because you don't deserve to. You're weak, you're pathetic, and you're a waste of space."

Artie inhaled deeply, readying himself for what he had wanted to do for a long time. Without hesitating further, Artie pushed himself clear off the ground using only his arms and one last burst of strength. Scott didn't have time to react as Artie took him down to the ground. With his dead weight pushing Scott down, Artie began punching every inch of him he could reach, blindly hitting every open spot, without stopping to breathe. He could barely hear Scott yelling at him to stop in-between blows, but after several minutes, Artie collapsed back in exhaustion. His whole life began flashing before his eyes, including how many times he had wanted to do what he did to those who had bullied him in the past, and how much more satisfying it would have made his life.

Artie crawled back to his wheelchair amidst the crowd of students, who had been watching the whole thing in amazement. Scott was still on the floor, groaning as he tried to soothe his pain. Artie climbed back into his wheelchair and left the area without looking back, but instead reflecting on how much better he felt now that it was over.

INTERLUDE

While in Government and Economics class, Tina wasn't paying attention to the lesson. Her baby bump was becoming more and more prominent, and people were once again giving her judgmental and cold looks. Tina's parents had even started to ask why she was getting so big, to which she said that she had been eating a lot. Following the embarrassment of hearing that she should join a gym, Tina had begun to wonder if she should tell her parents the truth, and how was the best way to do it.

This much worry mixed with her depression had caused Tina to start several bad habits, including not cleaning her room, midnight snacking, and not sleeping. However, she had also picked up a habit that was dangerous to both her and her baby, a habit that she had not paid much attention to in order to quit it. And it was this habit that forced her to make her next decision.

"Mr. Caplan, can I go to use the bathroom real quick?"

"You may."

As smoothly as she could, Tina slipped out of the room and headed straight for the restroom. After checking to see that she was alone, Tina went into a stall and brought out a small flask from her bag, sat on the toilet, and began drinking. She felt more and more relaxed as the soothing feeling of bitter alcohol crept down her throat, and within seconds, she had drained the flask. She put it away, and then opened another.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

Mr. Schuester still had not returned to coach the Glee Club, and Emma was busy with paperwork, so with rehearsal cancelled for the day, the New Directions left to go home, and Artie caught up with Alexander as he headed for the parking lots.

"Hey, Alex. Can I talk to you?"

"What can I do for you?"

"I need you to help me walk again."

Alexander stopped cold, and Artie screeched to a halt.

"You need what?"

"I want to able to walk again. I'm tired of being in people's way, not being able to keep up with others, not being able to maintain a stable relationship with a girl, and being picked on for being disabled. I've dealt with it all for so long, but I've had enough. I want to walk again, and I know that you are the one to help me do it."

"I'm a magician. I'm not God."

As if it were a reflex, Artie shut his mouth. He had not expected someone to say such a thing, thus he had no response of his own.

"Artie, do you know what I'm tired of?"

"No, what?"

"I'm tired of people looking to someone like me to fix their problems when they can so easily do it themselves. I am happy to do favors for people, but I am not a miracle worker."

"Maybe so, but you are capable of things that pretty much nobody else is. I've seen what you can do, and I believe that you can use those abilities to help me with this."

"Artie, if you're seriously considering taking the fast and easy road, then it won't be worth your time, and all the hope you've built up for years will have been wasted."

"My relationship with Gina is falling apart. She makes me happy, and I make her happy. At least I thought I did."

At this, Alexander pushed Artie back until the wheelchair's support wheels stuck out to catch him, and Artie found himself at an angle with Alexander's eyes burning into his.

"This is about a significant other?"

"Yeah, it is. Why?"

"That's always the case with you people. Rory wanted my help so as to repair things with Sugar. Blaine took the low road to get back with his boyfriend faster. Joe joined a band to impress his girlfriend. And now it's you. If you want to fix matters with Gina, don't let go of one of the many things that make you unique."

"But I'm not unique, and I don't want to be unique. I want to fit in, be one of the people, and not worry about this kind of stuff anymore. I have waited my whole middle and high school life for something to change for the better, and then I met you, and I knew that somehow you could help me."

Alexander leaned in closer so that his blue eyes were practically hypnotizing Artie, and Artie felt weightless, as if what Alexander was doing was sucking out his soul as they talked. However, Artie quickly snapped out of it and stared back, no longer intimidated.

"Okay, I'll confess: this isn't about Gina. It's about me."

"What made you change your mind?"

"I realized that everything I've been through till now has been for others, while I've been left in the dust. I've had three unsuccessful relationships, and I don't want to have a fourth. I want to be able to actually dance at Regionals and Nationals. I want to be more than I ever thought I could be. I just need a little help."

Alexander tipped Artie back to an upright position, allowing him to relax.

"Are you doing anything tomorrow?" asked Alexander.

"No, I don't think I am."

"Then how would you like to come by my house after Glee rehearsals? I have been working on an invention for a while, and I think it would be perfect for your… needs."

"What kind of invention is it?"

"Now that is something that I cannot reveal to you yet. After rehearsal, meet me at my motorcycle, and I'll take you there."

"Okay, sounds good. I'll be there."

Alexander nodded curtly and then started to leave, but Artie stopped him.

"So, wait, when you say house, you mean like a regular, one to two story house?"

"Just because my family is wealthy doesn't mean we have to show off", said Alexander, and he tipped his hat and left Artie confused.

INTERLUDE

Mr. Schuester had been summoned to Cooper's office earlier in the afternoon, though he did not know what for. He was not surprised to see that the students were avoiding all eye contact with him as possible when he passed them, making him even more nervous than he already was. He eventually reached Cooper's office and lightly knocked.

"Come in", came Cooper's voice, and Mr. Schuester entered to see him, Fisk, Brittany, and Amanda seated before him.

"Ah, Will, please come in", said Fisk, and Mr. Schuester quickly obliged.

"Will, I'll just tell you outright: I have decided to reverse my decision regarding your suspension, as well as Brittany's", said Cooper.

"You have? Why?"

"Well, it seems that your good friend Sue has a soft spot for you", said Cooper, pointing to over Mr. Schuester's shoulder, and he looked around to see Sue standing in a corner, with a big grin on her face.

"It turns out that my persuasive skills are getting stronger and stronger every day, Will. I just wanted to see the look on your face."

"Sue has brought it to my attention that this last bit of punishment will effectively ruin Brittany's life, which I certainly don't want. I am allowing her to return to the school early so that she can get her studies in. And I am allowing you to return so that you can start to build yourself up again."

"Lawrence, I don't know what to say. I'm very grateful for this opportunity, and…"

"Will, before you go completely noble, Amanda has something to say to you", said Cooper, and Amanda turned to him.

"Mr. Schue, I know I've done wrong, but I really would like another chance. I want to rejoin the Glee Club and help you guys win Regionals and Nationals. I feel that I owe it to you and Brittany and everybody else."

"Amanda, you know that I would love to have you back, but I don't know who else will go for it."

"Like Coach Sylvester, I can be very persuasive. My point is that I am truly sorry for everything I've done. I can't promise to not be a total bitch, but I can try my hardest, like I always do."

"Mr. Schue, I've already forgiven her. I may not be Senior Class President anymore, but I believe you should extend the same courtesy to her that Principal Cooper has to you", said Brittany.

Mr. Schuester sighed heavily and saw that everyone was giving him encouraging looks, which he found he could not ignore.

"All right, welcome back, both of you", he said, and Brittany and Amanda rushed over and hugged him, and he half-heartedly hugged them back, noting the look on Cooper's face. Sue stepped forward as well, leaning in to Mr. Schuester's ear so that only he could hear.

"You owe me, big, Schuester."


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

After school had finished for the day, Sam had been searching everywhere for Tina. He had planned to tell her that he gotten a new job that paid handsomely, so he could help her take care of the baby. However, she had not shown up to the choir room, and she wasn't answering his texts, so he had gotten more and more worried for her. Eventually, he went to her house and knocked on the door, and her mother answered.

"Hi, Mrs. Cohen-Chang. I'm looking for Tina. Is she here?"

"Yes, she's here. Who are you?"

"Oh, I'm Sam Evans. I'm in Glee Club with her."

"Oh, very nice to meet you, Sam. Please, come in."

"Thank you", said Sam, and as he entered he was impressed by how much better the house looked when the lights were on. He took a quick look around to see a staircase leading to the second floor, a door to the living room, one to the kitchen and dining area, and one to the garage. A small chandelier hung from the ceiling, and most of what he saw was a deep mahogany or light pine color. Family photos led up the stairs, the steps of which were rose-red.

"You like what you see?" came a voice from above, and Sam looked up to see Tina watching him. She was dressed in a black nightgown with indigo lining, and her hair was somewhat messy.

"Yeah, so far, it's pretty impressive. Can I talk to you, please?"

"Sure, come on up", said Tina, and Sam rushed up the stairs to her, noticing the doors to Tina's bedroom, her parents' master bedroom, two bathrooms, a closet, and a trapdoor to the attic, but stopped short of her when he smelled the stench of alcohol.

"Tina, have you been drinking again?" asked Sam, trying to stay as quiet as possible.

"Just a couple of flasks. Why?" said Tina, and Sam could hear a strong slur in her voice.

"Tina, I'm really starting to worry about you. I've been trying to get ahold of you all day, but you were nowhere around."

"Hey, Clam-Face, shut up a second, all right? Just because I'm skipping out on stuff lately doesn't mean that I've lost touch. I've hit a rough patch, and I'm trying to work through it."

"By drinking?"

"Duh", said Tina, hitting herself on the head to mock him, "That hurt. Anyway, I'm fine. If I need you, I'll let you know."

"Tina, I should let you know that I got a job, one that pays really well. I think that my income can help you and the baby."

"Will you keep it down, please? My father's not home yet, and my mom's got some kind of super-hearing going on."

"Look, I really think you should stop drinking. Like, right now. I read about this thing, this Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, and from what I've seen, it's pretty bad. Those who suffer from it end up being mentally retarded, or the likelihood of dying at a young age increases significantly…"

"Sam, I'm aware of the problems, and I'm telling you, I'm handling it."

"You're not handling it. You're making it worse."

"Who are you to tell me that what I'm doing is wrong?"

"I'm the father of your baby, and I do have a say in what you do when it comes to this."

"If you honestly think that being a single parent is going to be easy, then you're being an idiot."

"I never said anything about you or me raising this baby alone."

"Look, I'm drowning my sorrows the best way I know how. I don't know what to tell my parents. They've already said that I need to go on a diet."

Before Sam could respond, Tina's mother came up the stairs.

"Is everything okay?" she asked.

"Yeah, Mom, everything's fine."

"I heard raised voices, so something's wrong."

"Really, Mom, we're good."

"Okay, well, let me know if you need anything."

"Sure thing", said Tina, and her mother went back downstairs. As soon as Sam heard dishes clanking, he turned back to Tina.

"This isn't over. I'm trying not to make it a demand that you stop drinking. Think about what it will do the baby, and to you. I know what it's like to take care of kids and to be the guy to depend on, so don't consider for a second that what you're doing won't affect me either."

"You know what? Maybe after I give birth to this baby, you can have it. I'm not ready to be a mother, but since you're such an expert, maybe you're better off being responsible for it."

"You'd really be that cold?"

"No, I'd really be that reasonable. I don't think you'd make the world's greatest father, but I guess the baby will have to make do."

Sam was gripping the stair banister very tightly, trying not to explode on Tina. He did not know if what she was saying was coming from drunkenness, but he was certain that she was wrong about everything. Without saying another word, Sam stormed out of the house to go back to the Hudson-Hummel household. After he left, Tina went to her room, closed the door, and flopped onto her bed to cry into her pillow.

INTERLUDE

The next day was harshly humid, causing everyone major discomfort. Mr. Schuester was trying hard to look as neat as possible, though sweat was clear on his clothes, and his hair was matted. He entered the choir room, which was refreshingly being air-conditioned, to greet the New Directions, who all applauded his return.

"Thanks, guys. It's great to be back. Even greater is having back two of our most powerful talents, Brittany Pierce and Amanda Packard."

The others eagerly welcomed back Brittany more so than Amanda, though she got her fair share of welcome. Amanda looked back at Alexander, who was clapping half-heartedly at their return.

"Okay, guys, it's been a rough few days, but it's time to get ready for Regionals. Emma has informed me that you've chosen two Elvis Presley songs to wow the crowd, so let's get to rehearsing. We need to be up and fresh for what's ahead."

Just as they got up to start, there was a knock on the door, and they all looked to see Kurt standing in the doorway with a big smile on his face.

"Hey, you guys. Just dropping in", he said, and Tina, Artie, Sam, Rory, Joe, Sugar, Matt and Brittany all rushed forward to greet and hug him, followed by Mr. Schuester.

"Kurt, it's great to see you again. Come and meet the new guys", said Mr. Schuester, and Kurt happily greeted the newcomers, eager to get to know them, though he stopped when he met Abigail, trying to stay friendly while fighting the temptation to laugh.

"So, what are you doing here? What happened in New York?" asked Artie.

"Well, uh, we're on break for now, so I came back to meet with Blaine, but I found out that he transferred. Does anyone know why?"

"Honestly, even we don't know", said Joe.

"He gave a reason, but it wasn't really that sound", said Sugar.

"Well, Kurt, we were just about to start preparing for Regionals, so if you'd like to sit in and watch, you can", said Mr. Schuester.

"Well, yeah, I wish I could, but I need to go and find Blaine over at Delphos. But maybe I'll see you at the competition."

"Okay, sounds good, and seriously, it's great to see you again", said Sam.

"It's great to see you guys, too. And it is great to meet you new guys. And Matt, when did you get back?"

"Oh, Brittany got me back here at the start of the school year."

"Well, it's great seeing you back. I've got to get going, and I don't want to keep you guys from rehearsal, so good luck to you."

"Take care, Kurt", said Mr. Schuester, and Kurt took a last look at Abigail before leaving, trying to stifle his laughter.

"All right, guys, let's get this show on the road", said Alexander, and everyone stepped forward to go through the routine for the competition. Tina made sure to stay as far away from Sam as possible, not intending to engage him in conversation. As Sam took his spot, he looked at Tina's open bag and saw a half-drained whiskey bottle inside. He looked back at her, trying to make eye contact, but he knew that it was futile, and he considered that staging an intervention would be required.


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

After the Glee Club finished for the day, Artie followed Alexander out to his motorcycle.

"Hey, Alex, wait up."

"Have you considered my offer, Artie?"

"Yeah, and I want you to know that there's a good chance that I won't be satisfied with it, so…"

"As I said, it's an invention, not a cure, so satisfaction is not guaranteed. Now do you want a ride?"

"Well, yeah, sure, but I've never been on a motorcycle before. Is it safe?"

"Yes, it's perfectly safe."

Artie reluctantly wheeled himself over to the motorcycle and looked it over.

"There's no place for the wheelchair", he said, and Alexander rolled his eyes and picked Artie up out of the chair with extreme ease, sitting him on the back seat. Artie watched with uncertainty as Alexander folded up the wheelchair and put it in the motorcycle's storage compartment. Alexander then gave Artie a helmet, which he quickly put on, and soon the two were on their way, with Artie clinging to Alexander for dear life.

"You'll be fine, Artie", Alexander shouted over the noise, "I built this motorcycle myself. There is nothing to be scared of."

"I'll know for sure when we get there!"

"Well, funny thing is that we're already here", said Alexander, and Artie opened his eyes to see that they were parked in front of Alexander's house.

"How did we get here so fast?"

"Don't ask questions you don't want to know the answers to", said Alexander, and he dismounted and brought Artie's wheelchair out and unfolded it. Artie didn't have the strength to object when Alexander picked him up and set him in the chair, put away Artie's helmet, and pushed him up to the house.

"No, seriously, how did we get here so fast? That only felt like ten seconds."

Alexander merely ignored him and opened the door to the house, pushing Artie in before him, and Artie could see the inside as being reminiscent of a standard suburban home. He saw a desk that clearly belonged to Mr. Orenda, complete with a laptop, a filing system, and stacks of books and paperwork. There were two chairs and a couch aimed at a wide-screen television, a piano and a harp aligned along the front wall, and a recently used fireplace. Eight bookshelves lined the walls, all full of books regarding various subjects. Artie could also see a door leading to the kitchen and to the hallways leading to the bedrooms, and a clear view of the beautifully laid backyard. The walls and ceilings were white and smooth, and there were no carpets as far as Artie could see; instead there were hardwood floors of a dark brown color.

"This is all very, very impressive, Alex. I've never known the wealthy to use their money so reasonably."

"Don't worry, at least we're not celebrities. They want to waste their fortunes on sports cars, fancy mansions in the hills, gates with their names embedded in them, and God knows what else, let them."

"Boy, the way you put it, your parents seem kind of weird, and not in a good way."

"Artie, don't even begin to slander my family. Scott Cooper made that mistake."

"Yeah, you're right. I'm sorry. So where's this invention you were talking about?"

"We're fortunate that my parents are still at work, because they are usually put off by my creating things. So follow me, and I'll show you."

Artie followed Alexander into an elevator and they descended to the basement, which was lit brighter than most basements, and he could see various tools, boxes, and accessories. Alexander drew Artie's attention to what appeared to be a normal pair of slacks.

"That's your invention? Pants?"

"Quite the contrary, Artie. These are highly specialized pants. Don't ask me how I made them, because trust me, it takes a while to explain. The bare bones of these pants are that they perform actions based on your preferences. If you want to walk, then simply press the corresponding button on the belt. If you want to run, do the same thing. There is a camera built into the belt buckle that helps the pants to absorb new motion information. Should that be the case, simply say the movement you desire, and it will do so."

"So basically what you're saying is that whatever command I give it, the pants will grant that motion?"

"Precisely. Run, walk, dance, turn, kick, crouch, climb or descend stairs, and pretty much anything else will be at your complete discretion."

"And do they only come in that style?"

"For the time being, yes. I am already working on jeans, dress pants, pajamas, swimming trunks, and others. My hope for this is that it will become available to anyone in need of it."

"But it's not a cure for being crippled?"

"No, it is merely a step-forward."

"I don't know. It all sounds a little too farfetched. You know, a little too good to be true."

"Well, you asked, I answered. Would you like to try them?"

Artie looked at the pants and then back at Alexander, then back again. To him, it really did sound too good to be true, which didn't comfort him. He did want to smooth things out with Gina, be able to actually play football, and be able to do things easier. And as far as he could tell, Alexander was a trustworthy person.

"Yeah, I think I would."

INTERLUDE

Around the same time, Mr. Schuester left his office and drove out with Emma to his parents' house in Dayton. He was excited to let his parents know of his upcoming marriage, and could not wait to see the looks on their faces.

"I certainly hope your parents take the news better than mine did", said Emma.

"No, your parents took the news pretty well. They just didn't approve of it."

"They'll probably feel better about it if we allow them to manage the whole thing."

"They should at least be happy that you are getting married."

"Well, that's what Ken said after he proposed to me."

"What about Carl?"

"No, he said that I should be happy for myself instead of having my parents be happy for me."

"Well, he's not totally wrong. Even if your parents don't like me very much, it's not for them to decide if their adult daughter should be married to someone who she loves, and who loves her in return."

"What did your parents say about you marrying Terri?"

"They were reluctant about it. They were close friends of Terri's parents after we went to high school together, so they practically pushed the issue of marriage on us."

"That must have been harsh."

"Yeah, it kind of was. And after I learned that Terri is remarrying, everything about my past life and what happened in it just seemed to jumble up into a depressing mess."

"Did she say who she was marrying?"

"No, but I suspect it's someone who is financially secure and well-endowed."

Emma chose not to say anything to this, hoping to not upset him. The remainder of the trip was spent in silence until they reached the Schuester residence, which stood two stories tall with grey stone walls and a clean white porch adorned with various plants. Mr. Schuester could see that his parents had prepared the chimney, as smoke was billowing out through the top.

"Man, it's been a while since I've been here", said Mr. Schuester as he and Emma got out of the car.

"It's… impressive", said Emma, and she took note of a front yard tire swing hanging from an old pine tree.

"When I was a kid, I used to play on that thing all the time", said Mr. Schuester. They stopped short of the porch as his mother came out to greet them, and Mr. Schuester was surprised to see that she had been crying.

"Will, thank God you're here. I was just about to call you and let you know."

"Let me know what? Mom, what's wrong?"

"It's your father… he died of a stroke a few minutes ago."

Mr. Schuester froze solid, feeling as if time had stood still with him. Emma was looking at him with deep sympathy, and his mother had begun to cry again. Mr. Schuester stumbled and collapsed to the ground, feeling ready to faint at any moment. He could not hear Emma calling his name to wake him up, as he could only stare at the ground and focus on the loss of his father.


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

"I don't know if I can do this", said Artie, as he sat in his wheelchair wearing the pants that Alexander created. He and Alexander were out in Alexander's backyard, which was completely clean of weeds and neatly adorned with various flowers and fruit trees and healthy, green grass.

"You will never know until you try", said Alexander, who was leaning against the exterior of the house.

"I haven't walked for a long time. My legs won't handle it."

"The pants will do the walking for you. Now push yourself out of the chair, nice and slow."

Artie gulped loudly and pushed the Step button on the belt buckle, and the pant legs activated, bringing him out of the chair and onto the ground. Artie put all of his strength into his arms to push himself out of the chair and, much to his surprise, he was standing.

"This feels so weird, dude. I can't feel my legs, but I'm standing."

"Try the Continuous Walk button. You can control the direction you go in by turning the rest of your body in that direction."

Panting heavily, Artie pushed the button and the pant legs began to move in a walking motion, causing him to lightly jerk backwards and forwards as it went.

"Don't be afraid to let it move you", said Alexander.

"I'm just used to being down below chest level, you know? Up here, it's different."

"It's only different by a couple of feet. It's not like you're a sycamore tree."

"So I just turn my body, and it'll change direction?"

"Yes, go ahead", said Alexander, and he watched as Artie turned, causing the pants to turn with him without warning, and Artie fell to the ground.

"Dude, this is impossible", he groaned.

"It's just a trial run", said Alexander, and he helped Artie back up, "Are you all right?"

"Yeah, I'm fine", said Artie, as he brushed grass blades off his clothes.

"I know that it'll take some getting used to, but you're doing fine."

"Do these pants need recharging? You know, because they're mechanical and stuff?"

"They recharge themselves the longer you don't use them."

"Oh, like the Borg in _Star Trek_?" said Artie with a grin on his face, and Alexander tilted his head to the side in confusion, "You know, _Star Trek_. 'Where no man has gone before' and all that?"

"No, I know what you're talking about. I just can't comprehend that you're comparing it to this."

"Okay, well, I'm ready to try again."

"Good, then let's do so", said Alexander, and Artie pushed the Continuous Walk button again, this time preparing himself for any sudden movement and comfortably going with where the pants took him. After successfully walking five full laps around the yard, Artie came to a stop in front of Alexander.

"Bro, that was so awesome!" Artie shouted happily, and he pushed the Jump button on the buckle, causing the pants to go into a crouch and spring him into the air, and he crashed back to the ground.

"Don't get so enthusiastic too fast", said Alexander as he helped Artie back up, "There are some controls that you haven't mastered yet."

"Yeah, I got that. What do you say we go for a run instead?"

"You'll need to change clothes for that."

"You have shorts like this?"

"Yes, I do. Would you like to try them?"

"No need to ask me twice", said Artie, and he headed inside with uneven steps, and Alexander shook his head.

"This is going to be harder than I thought", he said to himself, and he followed Artie in to change.

INTERLUDE

Tina had skipped most of school to drink in private, causing most of the students to stay away from her and the stench of the alcohol. In her drunken daze, Tina could see everything distorting and changing colors. She was also finding it harder to walk because of her pregnancy, but she didn't care. It wasn't long before she accidentally wandered into Lima Heights Adjacent, which had always made her curious as to what Santana had always bragged about. From what she could see, it wasn't as bad-looking as Santana had made it out to be. At the same time, though, she merely blamed this on her drunken state.

Tina continued to walk, not caring where she was going, until she passed by several homeless men, who were gathered around a fire in a trash bin. The three men quickly caught sight of her and began to follow.

"Hey, kiddo, what are you doing on this side of town?" one of them called out to her.

"It ain't safe here, you know?" another one said, but Tina ignored them and continued.

"You know, maybe she can't talk", said the third man.

"Or hear, eh?" said the first one, and Tina quickened her pace, though still very unevenly, and the men followed suit.

"Man, I think she's drunk, guys", said the second man.

"Well, that changes things now doesn't it?" said the third man, and Tina began to run, with the men following close behind. Tina didn't get very far and eventually tripped over garbage, allowing the men to catch up to her.

"Now, girl, come on, we'll take you home", said the first man, but Tina didn't mistake the hungry look in his eyes.

"Yeah, and we'll take good care of you", said the third man, who quickly placed his hands on Tina's shoulders. Tina was too scared to scream or fight back, and she couldn't move a muscle as they began to make their move.

"Hey!" came a familiar voice from across the street, and they all looked to see who had called to them, and Tina was partially relieved to see Santana and Sam marching towards them.

"Get off of her right now!" Sam shouted, flexing his muscles threateningly.

"Or what, kid? As far as I can tell, you're kind of outnumbered here", said the second man.

"I play football, dung-sack, and I will not hesitate to punch your teeth out if you lay a finger on her."

"Yeah, and what about you, missy? You're not so tough-looking yourself", the first man said to Santana, who had a glare that could rival a lion.

"I grew up here, big guy. I know all about the dangers in every nook and cranny of every nook and cranny, so don't think that because I'm a girl that I'm not capable of going all Lima Heights on your sorry asses!"

The men stepped away from Tina and approached them, with the first man breaking apart a beer bottle to fight.

"Ooh, broken glass. That's real threatening. I used to eat pieces of glass for breakfast. So, come on, don't be a coward hiding behind a second-rate weapon of choice", said Santana.

"I ain't a coward, young lady!" shouted the first man, and the other two brought out switchblades.

"Great, more less-than-average weapons", Sam groaned.

"Oh, please. The only weapons they have that are truly less-than-average lie behind their pant zippers!" Santana sneered, and the men angrily charged forward, but Sam and Santana had intentionally backed against a brick wall, and they stepped aside at the last second, allowing the men to crash face-first against the wall and fall unconscious. Sam and Santana smugly shook hands and went over to Tina, who was shivering in fear.

"Tina, are you all right?" asked Sam, who quickly put a coat around her, and he was surprised when she didn't fight him.

"How did you know I was here?"

"I knew that your drinking would cause you to wander off, so I called Santana to help me."

"Girl, what the hell are you doing? You're friggin' pregnant, and you're drowning yourself in booze?"

"I'm drinking so that the pain won't feel so bad. My parents won't stand for me being pregnant at my age. You know what happened with Quinn and her parents. I don't want that to happen to me."

"You know that you won't be alone. We'll be there for you, no matter what happens", said Sam.

"Come on, let's get you out of here, and we'll talk about it more later", said Santana, and they took Tina's whimper as a yes as they helped her up and took her out of the town.

INTERLUDE

Brittany had taken Becky and Abigail to the Lima Bean Café upon their request, as Abigail had never tried American coffee before.

"So, are you sure that you've never had coffee here before?" Brittany had asked her as they entered.

"Well, I've had coffee grown in my country, but it is rather pungent. People say good things about this place, so I thought I might try it."

"I've never had coffee in my whole life. Is it good?" asked Becky.

"Around here, it's the best we've got", said Brittany, and they approached the counter in time to see that Kurt was waiting for his coffee.

"Oh, hi, Brittany. I didn't expect to see you here."

"Right back at you. What are you doing here? I thought you were back in New York."

"Nah, I thought I might just stick around for a little while. Rachel's doing fine for now, so… oh, and I see that you have your friends with you."

"Yeah, I think you've already met Abigail, right?"

"Ah, yes, the, uh… the dwarf", said Kurt, taking Abigail aback.

"What, you got a problem with me being short?"

"Well, no, I just never know how to talk to people like you, that's all."

"People like me, huh? Well, maybe you should stop talking down to me and stoop down a little."

"Guys, guys, come on, let's not start a fight, okay?" Brittany said.

"He started it", Abigail snorted, starting to turn away.

"Boy, somebody has a short temper, doesn't she?" said Kurt, and Abigail turned to face him.

"I'm surprised you even have a boyfriend with that attitude. Heck, even with that attitude, you're not very tough."

"Well, I'm certainly a lot tougher than you, Little Miss Munchkin."

"Queer!"

"Stump!"

"Piece of china!"

"Mini-Mart!"

"ENOUGH!" Becky shouted, and they looked around to see that the other customers had started to look in their direction, listening in on the fight.

"Okay, I think we're done here. Kurt, it's great seeing you", Brittany said sharply, and she ushered Becky and Abigail out, with Abigail exchanging a last glare with Kurt as she left. Kurt shook his head and took his coffee to sit down, but he ran into a familiar face.

"Man, Kurt, I didn't think that you had it in you", said Karofsky.


	6. Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6

Kurt and Dave had taken a seat across from each other, staring intently into each other's eyes.

"I didn't think that you'd still be here after what happened", said Kurt.

"I didn't either, but I wanted to graduate with dignity."

"So, you didn't transfer to another school?"

"No, all I did was go back and face everyone like a man."

_FLASHBACK_

"_You know, there are a few things I've learned since I came through. One: you can't choose your peers wisely enough, because they'll always come back to bite you in the ass over the smallest things. Two: those with big enough dreams succeed. And three: I'm stronger than all of you because I embrace who and what I am. And what I am is a proudly gay football player who will graduate with my current honors, overcome further adversities, and make a real difference in the world. And no amount of teasing, or encouragement of suicide, or any talk of not being good enough to make it will keep me from achieving what I set out to achieve", Dave shouted into his microphone at his school's pep rally, prompting the other students to cheer and applaud his stand._

_END FLASHBACK_

"Well, honestly, I commend you for standing against your enemies. And congratulations on graduating", said Kurt.

"Thanks, and congrats to you too. I know it must have been hard to leave your friends after all you've been through."

"Yeah, it was tough. But I'm in New York now, with Blaine hopefully not too far behind."

"How are things going between you guys?"

"Well, we've kind of hit a rough patch. Blaine decided to transfer so that he could get to New York and to me faster, not even considering what it would do to the New Directions."

"That sucks. Did you talk to him about it?"

"Well, I tried to, but he won't listen to reason. The guy that lured him away can only provide empty promises."

"It really sounds like he's not making rational decisions anymore."

"At the very least, he's started down that road. I'm worried for him."

"I'm sure he'll be fine."

"Maybe. Speaking of which, have you found anybody yet?"

"No, I haven't. Ever since my failed stint with Sebastian, I've kind of run into a dead end."

Kurt nodded and took a sip of his coffee, unsure of how to continue the discussion.

"Would you have dinner with me tonight, Kurt? It'd be great to catch up on things", said Dave, and Kurt was so taken aback by the offer that he said yes.

INTERLUDE

Alexander and Artie had gone for a run around the neighborhood, and Artie had once again become unfamiliar with his new attire. The shorts that Alexander had given him had supports extending through the legs and connecting to his shoes, with the supports themselves bending and extending with each step. The shorts also came with their own belt of options, and Artie was finding it difficult to stay in sync as the supports were moving him at a very fast pace.

"Dude, this is insane!" Artie shouted over the wind to Alexander, who was tirelessly keeping up with him.

"In a good way or a bad way?"

"A little of both, I guess!"

"Don't worry, at least you're going at the fastest pace that the shorts are set to."

"I don't know about you, but this kind of reminds me of a song that I've been wanting to sing once this kind of thing happened to me!"

"Oh, please don't sing", groaned Alexander, but Artie ignored him and broke into FloRida's "Club Can't Handle Me", with the performance shifting to the choir room, where the New Directions watched in amazement as Artie moved around freely and comfortably, receiving a standing ovation from them in the end.

"Artie, this is incredible", said Sam.

"How did this happen?" asked Abigail.

"I have Alexander to thank. He's a pure genius", said Artie, but Alexander merely looked away with a disappointed scowl on his face. Artie shook his head and went over to hug him, which Alexander didn't fight.

"This is truly a miracle. Now we stand an even better chance at Regionals and Nationals", said Hannah.

"More importantly, Artie can now live a better life", said Emily.

"Yeah, I can. It's something I've been looking forward to for a long time. I've got to be honest, though, I am going to miss the wheelchair", said Artie.

"I think we all will. We've kind of gotten used to dancing with it around", said Matt.

"Don't worry. By the time Regionals comes around, that won't be a problem anymore", said Artie.

"Well, I hate to cut the fun short, especially with congratulations in order for Artie", said Sue, who had just walked in, "but I have some bad news for you kids. You'll have to show up for another funeral. Mr. Schuester's dad has passed away, so he needs you to help him out."

The New Directions could only stand in shock as Sue turned on her heel and left the room. They looked at each other, unsure of what to do, but they quickly single-filed after Sue to discuss funeral plans.

INTERLUDE

Everyone had gathered at Mr. Schuester's father's funeral to pay their respects. Sue, Emma, and Coach Beiste had also attended, and Mr. Schuester had been greeted with tears by his most of his extended family. All of the Glee kids had come as well, in addition to Finn, Rachel, Kurt, Quinn, Santana, Mike, Lauren, Mercedes, Blaine, and Puck. Despite Alexander's help, Artie had decided to save his new method of walking for later, for Mr. Schuester's sake. "Amazing Grace" was being played in the background by the jazz band members.

Sue had made arrangements to have the funeral take place at the same church where her sister Jean's funeral was held, and the pews were eventually full of Mr. Schuester, Sr.'s family and closest friends. As everyone sat down, Mr. Schuester saw the same priest that oversaw Jean's funeral come up to address them.

"Welcome, everyone. Today, we pay our respects to Mr. Arthur Schuester, an army veteran, a potential lawyer, a father, a husband, a brother, a teacher, and a dear friend. I believe that his son, William, has some words that he would like to say."

Mr. Schuester slowly stood up and approached the podium, trying hard to fight back his tears as he went. He looked out into the attendees, acknowledging his father's fellow law students, friends, and family, and gave a brief glance at the Glee kids before starting his speech.

"I want to thank everybody for coming here today. It's pretty clear that my father has touched a lot of people's hearts. That's one of the many good things that he has passed down not just to me, but to anyone that he's ever had contact with. When I was growing up, my dad wasn't the easiest person to get along with. Sure, he taught me how to ride a bike, throw a baseball, and all the other stuff that a dad would teach his son. But he could also be… demanding, a perfectionist, someone who sets the bar so high that…"

He stopped himself mid-sentence, knowing that he was going down the wrong path, and continued with a calmer voice.

"Whatever faults he had, they were what made someone a human being. And my father was a human being. He loved his family, he loved his friends, and he loved his life. The last time I talked to him, he said that he was considering starting a career in law, which I supported. I supported it because it told me that he was choosing a life in which he was going to help people. As far as I'm concerned, he would have made a fine lawyer."

Mr. Schuester could feel his voice beginning to tremble, and his tears were already starting to build up.

"He made me a better person, showing me the way to become a good influence on those that I taught at school. If there is anything that a father should succeed in when raising his children more than anything else, it's helping them to live by a good example and know how to continue the process. I don't know if he's entirely succeeded, but I'm sure he's come very close. I love him, and I will miss him. His loved ones, his friends, anyone who has ever had the fortune of meeting him, will miss him too."

With that, he headed over to his father's open casket, and saw his father dressed in his wedding day tuxedo, adorned with personal gifts from his family and friends. Crying lightly, he leaned forward and caressed his father's head. He had never seen him look so peaceful. He kissed his father's forehead and stepped back.

"I love you, dad", he said, and he went back to his place next to Emma, and the Glee kids stood up to address the crowd, including the alumni.

"We may not have known your dad personally, but we know that he's entirely succeeded in helping you to live by a good example", said Finn.

"Which is why we don't think that you should let this keep you back from doing what you love", said Quinn.

"You are your father's son, Mr. Schue, and you have done right by him", said Alexander.

"And you will continue to do right by him. We're sure of it", said Rachel.

"We chose this song specifically for you and your father, Mr. Schue", said Artie, and Finn, Rachel, Kurt, Puck, Alexander, Santana, Emily, and Mike led the New Directions through a slow and mellow version of "Tomorrow" from _Annie_ in Mr. Schuester's honor.

INTERLUDE

Following the service, Emily followed Alexander to his motorcycle to talk to him.

"Hey, where are you going? I thought you wanted to pay your respects."

"I already have. Do you need a ride home?"

"No, my parents are coming to pick me up."

"Well, that's good", said Alexander, and Emily stopped him from putting his helmet on.

"Alexander, don't you think we should talk about… us?"

"What about us?"

"Well, ever since we kissed, you've kind of distanced yourself from me. I'm a little worried that we may never develop anything beyond that."

"Don't think for a moment that that kiss didn't mean anything to me, because it did."

"So, why keep your distance?"

Alexander briefly shifted his attention to Mr. Schuester, who was going with Emma, his sister Sarah, and his mother to a local restaurant, before responding.

"Would you like to have dinner with me tonight? I've heard that you have a taste for Spanish food. It would also serve as a good way for us to really connect."

Emily smiled nervously and looked Alexander in the eyes, attempting to keep his attention in the same way he had done multiple times.

"Sure, I would like that."

"Good. How does 8:30 sound?"

"It's a… date?"

Alexander smirked and departed on his motorcycle, and Emily soon found herself face-to-face with Rachel.

"Hi, you're Emily right?"

"Yeah, I am. Who are you?"

"Oh, I'm Rachel. I was the lead female vocalist of the Glee Club. Do you have a second to talk?"

"Um, sure. What's up?"

"Well, I'm sure that Tina has already advised you on the potential risks of relationships, but I feel obligated to let you know that pursuing a guy like that can only lead to trouble."

"Really? How so?"

"Boys like him tend to hide dark secrets behind their dark secrets. Just one thing can make the whole thing fall apart."

"And you know this from experience?"

"Yes, I do. I was lucky to have maintained a stable relationship with Finn before he went off to join the military, and even my efforts to keep other people's relationships healthy have tended to go unfulfilled. What I'm trying to get at is that while you may like him, there will always be something that can shatter your dreams for good. And the two worst things about it is that he will be very good at hiding that something, and it will otherwise come at you when you least expect it."

"Well, thanks for the warning, Rachel, but I think I'll be all right. He hasn't shown any sign that he's trouble."

"It always starts out that way. It was nice to meet you", said Rachel, and she shook hands with Emily and left, not looking at or talking to Finn on her way to her car, where Kurt was waiting. Kurt, meanwhile, had taken the time to talk to Blaine before leaving.

"Blaine, I really think you should reconsider your joining the Music Masters. They are just like Vocal Adrenaline, only a thousand times better. Without you, the New Directions don't stand a chance."

"That's true, Kurt, but I'm tired of taking the slow and progressive path. No matter where I go, I always end up at a fork in the road. I chose the path that will get me back to you faster."

"You also chose the path where you learn nothing on your journey. I honestly don't think you were listening to Mr. Schuester's speech in there. Your choice clearly goes against everything that he's tried to do as the leader of the Glee Club. I can honestly say that I'm disappointed in you for doing that."

"Kurt, I'm sorry if I disappointed you, but if that's the risk to take in order to be with you, then it's worth it. By the way, I'm disappointed in you. You actually agreed to go out with that Karofsky guy, after what he did to you?"

"He's changed for the better. That's why I'm seeing him. We're still just friends. But at the rate that you and I are going, maybe it's time for a change."

"Well, if that's the way you're going to be about it, then maybe we should take a break from our relationship."

"Yeah, maybe we should. It'll give you an opportunity to clear your head and see that you've made the wrong choice."

"I'm pretty sure I've made the right one, Kurt. I love you, and only you, and Karofsky and Vance will not change that."

Kurt shook his head in defeat and drove off with Rachel to take her back to the airport, leaving Blaine to angrily sing Sugar Ray's "Sorry Now".


	7. Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7

Mr. Schuester, his mother, Dora, and sister, Sarah, and Emma had decided to eat lunch at a local McDonald's, not caring if it was unhealthy. Emma had decided not to eat anything there, while the others had gotten small meals.

"It really was a lovely service", said Dora, trying to break the silence.

"It really was. I can't believe that dad's gone", said Sarah.

"It's great to see both of you again. I never realized how much I've missed you", said Mr. Schuester.

"Your speech was wonderful, Will. I could tell that you were speaking from your heart, and not from a piece of paper", said his Dora.

"It was from the heart. Dad deserves that much."

"Are you okay, Will?" asked Emma.

"I think I will be. After everything that's happened this year, I just need some time."

"You should take all the time you need. I'm sure Mr. Cooper is willing to give you a paid vacation", said his Dora.

"Yeah, maybe. On that note, though, there was some news that Emma and I had wanted to run by you and Dad."

"What's going on? Is Emma pregnant?" asked Dora in a very worried tone, but Mr. Schuester was quick to answer.

"No, no. We've, uh, actually decided to get married. We're engaged."

At first, neither his mother or Sarah said or did anything, but then they looked at Emma, who was showing them Mr. Schuester's engagement ring. They then stood up and cheered excitedly, hugging both Mr. Schuester and Emma.

"I can't believe that you guys are engaged! This is so exciting!" Dora exclaimed.

"When's the wedding? I want to contribute as much as I can", said Sarah.

"Well, we've planned for it to be a couple of months from now. I have to take my Glee kids to Regionals. After that, we're getting married."

"We've already sent out invitations to everyone we know. But Will wanted to personally invite you and your husband", said Emma.

"Will, your father would have been proud. You've come so far in such a short amount of time. And of course we're going to be there. Who is your best man?" asked Dora.

"That would be the former co-captain of my Glee club, Finn Hudson. He's taking some time off from the military to come and do it."

Mr. Schuester could see tears coming up in his mother's eyes, so he quickly went over and hugged her and Sarah, pulling Emma in as well. It was at that moment that he started crying tears of joy, knowing that he had chosen the right time to make his mother happy once again.

INTERLUDE

Back at the school, Xavier had begun throwing other kids around in a rage, practically emitting steam from his ears as he went. No one there had seen anyone with eyes so bloodshot, causing them to back away in fear.

"Who else wants a piece of this, huh?!" Xavier shouted, elbowing people in the ribs and shoving others away, including staff. He took a Slushee out of a kid's hand and tossed the drink in all directions, splattering everyone in range. It didn't take long for Matt to come in and stop him.

"Dude, what are you doing? What's going on?"

"Don't get in my way, Rutherford. This is none of your concern!"

"Hey, you're tossing people around for some reason. Now what's going on?"

"What's going on? You want to know what's going on? I've been kicked off the hockey team, thank you very much! They seem to think that my continuing participation in Glee club and singing a song from a long-dead, long-forgotten musical has robbed me of my reputation. So guess what? I quit! Gone for good. I'm not coming back. Spread the word! This here's a preview to more ass-kicking that I'll do later on!" Xavier ranted, and with that, he kneed Matt in the groin, causing Matt to cry out and slump against the wall in pain. Xavier turned to see if anyone else wanted to try him and left.

INTERLUDE

In the choir room later in the day, everyone was waiting for Mr. Schuester and Tina to arrive, though they were disheartened that Xavier had left. Matt was pressing an ice pack to his groin, still in pain.

"You know, they say if you freeze them long enough, you can actually turn them into snowballs", said Brittany, but Matt ignored her.

"I can't believe that Xavier just bailed on us like that", said Emily.

"It was probably just a matter of time. Being a jock, it comes with the territory", said Joe.

"Whatever the case may be, we've lost one of our star performers. He's pretty much the new Puck", said Artie. Everyone stopped talking as they watched Tina drunkenly stumble in. They could easily see that she was practically green in the face, with puffy red eyes, disheveled clothing, and an odor that told them that she hadn't showered in days.

"Tina, are you all right?" asked Sam, who had rushed over to help her to a seat.

"Yeah, Mike, I'm fine", Tina drawled, following it with a hiccup.

"No, my name's Sam."

"Hi, Sam, I'm Tina. Nice to meet you", Tina laughed, extending her hand unevenly, "I'm just kidding, Sam. I know who you are. You're the guy that knocked me up and got me pregnant."

"Tina, you're very drunk. I'm going to take you home."

"Why? I'm fine. I may have downed a bottle or two, but I'm fine."

"Tina, you've worn the same outfit for three days straight. You stink of alcohol, and you're clearly not in your right mind", said Alexander.

"Hey, you know what? I don't give a crap what you think, Tuxedo Mask. Guess what, I don't like you. Yeah, I said it. I don't like you", Tina slurred, meeting Alexander face to face, causing him to recoil in disgust.

"Tina you really should go home and rest", said Emily.

"No, if I go home, my parents will know something's wrong."

"God, will you stop being such a coward and do the right thing for once?!" Amanda shouted, causing everyone in the room to fall silent.

"What did you just call her?" said Sam, approaching Amanda with a sharp look in his eyes.

"All I'm saying is that she needs to confront her own problems."

"You don't need to call her a coward to say that", said Emily.

"Look who's talking, the girl who was too afraid to admit her own worthless feelings for a stage magician from a bleeding heart family", said Amanda.

"Insult my family again. I dare you", Alexander snarled.

"Guys, we shouldn't be doing this. Tina, you need to get rest. Amanda, quit being yourself. Emily, Amanda's right", said Artie.

"You guys are seriously the most unstable musical group I've ever met", Abigail butted in.

"Talk to the hand, shorty", said Tina, bringing it down to Abigail's face.

"Don't talk to my friend like that", Becky shouted.

"It's not like she has much to contribute", said Tina.

"Okay, I know it hasn't been that long, but I'm out", said Abigail, and she quickly stormed out of the room.

"Me, too. I thought I was going to be part of the Glee club that was united", said Becky, and she followed suit.

"Guys, don't go. We need you", Joe called after them, but they had already left.

"Well, congratulations, Tina. We're down three members now", said Rory.

"We're not down by any number. We just need to convince them to come back", said Brittany.

"Okay, we've done enough bickering. Yes, we need to get them back, but we also need to keep preparing for Regionals", said Alexander.

"Speaking of which, Mr. Schue should have been here by now" said Matt.

"I just texted him. He said he'd be here any second", said Sugar.

"Which I am", said Mr. Schuester as he walked in, "Sorry I'm late."

"Where were you?" asked Gina.

"My car broke down on my way here. Listen, guys, I wanted to thank you for what you did for my father's funeral. I really appreciate it."

"Is this going to affect your future plans at all?" asked Joe.

"If you're asking if it will keep me from taking you guys to Regionals and winning, marrying Emma, and seeing you become successful, then no, it won't. I meant every word I said back there, which is why I'm not going to stop leading you to victory."

"That's great, Mr. Schue, but in case you haven't noticed, we're a little short on roster", said Sam.

"Yeah, I noticed. Where are Xavier, Becky, and Abigail?"

"Xavier bailed. We kind of got into a huge argument in here, where Tina insulted Abigail's height. She and Becky both left."

"Tina, I can't believe you did that. It doesn't sound like you."

"Yeah, well believe it, Mr. Schue. I'm drunk as a skunk, so I can say whatever I want."

"Tina, you can't be drinking when you're pregnant. No, even at your age, you shouldn't be drinking at all."

"Technically, I can. I turn eighteen in a month."

"It doesn't matter. I have to insist that you stop."

"What, cold turkey? That's even less healthy", said Alexander.

"No one cares about your opinion, David Copperfield, Jr.", said Tina, giving him light, playful slaps on the face.

"This is serious. If you continue like this, you'll most likely die of alcohol poisoning. Not only that, but you'll also most likely kill your child", said Mr. Schuester.

"Well, that's flattering advice for a heavily distraught mother-to-be. What do you care, anyway? For four years, I put up with everyone going about their drama and backstabbing each other with every step, and I put up with being in the background, not wanting to be involved in such trivial crap."

"You brought this up last year, Tina, and you grew out of it", said Mr. Schuester.

"You always gave the spotlight to Rachel, to Mercedes, to Finn and Kurt and Quinn. Even Santana got so much attention because she came out of the closet. Well, what about me? I know I'm bringing this up again, but when is it my turn?"

"You're the lead female vocalist. It is your turn."

"No, it's not, Mr. Schue. You know why? Because my life is over. As soon as my parents find out that I'm pregnant before I graduate, they will disown me. I don't want what happened to Quinn to happen to me. So, yeah, Amanda, you're right. I am a coward. But it doesn't matter. I've never mattered to any of you, and I don't think my continued presence here will change it."

"Tina, I think you should leave", Mr. Schuester said suddenly, and Tina turned to face him.

"Yeah, maybe I should. I have no qualms about what I said to Abigail or to any of you. I don't care about Regionals anymore. If you guys want to alienate me for that, then go ahead", said Tina, and she broke in Joan Jett's "Bad Reputation" to certify her departure from the club, much to everyone else's shock, and left with tears quickly filling her eyes.

INTERLUDE

After the Glee club finished up, Gina and Dina started to head home until they were stopped by their father.

"You two went back to the Glee club when I explicitly told you not to?"

"Daddy, this is our passion. We love to sing and dance, and it's what we want to do for a living", said Dina.

"I'm pulling you out so that you can focus on what matters. Come on, let's go."

"But Dad, we…", Dina started to protest, but he gave her a sharp slap across the face. Gina tried to interfere, but he slapped her as well.

"I said let's go", he said, and they solemnly followed him to his car, not saying a word to him or to each other.


	8. Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8

As agreed upon, Alexander and Emily dined at a local restaurant specializing in Hispanic cuisines. The restaurant was crowded and noisy, but Alexander and Emily could hear each other just fine.

"With Gina and Dina gone, we're getting pretty close to not having enough members to qualify for Regionals", said Emily.

"Nobody knows why they left, but they probably had good reason to. And Mr. Schuester isn't wrong about taking Tina out while she recovers."

"I'm just so worried about everyone. What's going to happen, do you think?"

"I know a guy who is very talented, and has been interested in joining the Glee club for a while now. He could be a potential performer. I have already convinced Sam to try and get Becky and Abigail back. By the way, I thought that you wanted to talk about us."

"Yeah, I did. I wanted to know how you are now. Ever since that night, we haven't really talked."

"Well, I suggested that we meet so that we can get to know each other a little better. So, why did you join the Glee Club in the first place?" asked Alexander.

"I just wanted to fit in somewhere. Why did you join?"

"I respect the club for what they're doing. What kind of music do you like?"

"I, uh, well, I like whatever everyone else likes."

"No specific preferences?"

"No, not really. How about you?"

"Eh, everything excluding rap and hip-hop is fine with me."

"100% agreed. Do you enjoy theater?"

"_Les Miserables_ is a definite favorite of mine."

"Wow, that's so weird. I grew up enjoying every theater production of _Les Miserables_."

"Do you like _Phantom Of The Opera_?"

"Yeah, absolutely. Do you?"

"One of my all-time favorites. Some productions are being held in neighboring cities if you want to attend."

"It sounds like fun."

The two sat in peace and continued eating.

"So, just out of curiosity, why did you ask me out even when I was with Amanda?"

"Oh, uh, do we have to talk about it?"

"Well, as the addressee, I'm entitled to be curious about it."

Emily nodded and began poking at her food, and Alexander sensed her discomfort.

"Never mind, I'll drop it."

"No, it's okay, it's just that, well, since I met you, I kind of had a, uh, well a major crush on you."

She said this so quietly that Alexander almost didn't hear her.

"How come you didn't say anything before?"

"Well, it's just that I'm always shy and timid, so when Amanda got to you first, I kind of just backed off entirely."

It was Alexander's turn to poke at his food in discomfort.

"I really shouldn't have said anything. I'm sorry, I'm going to go", said Emily, but Alexander stopped her again.

"No, don't leave. I just want to say that I really admire you for telling me now. It shows you have courage and integrity. I always admire that in people."

Emily relaxed and sighed, and saw that there was a karaoke stage nearby, where a woman was waiting to take volunteers.

"Would you like to go up and perform?" asked Alexander.

"I don't know if I can. Even after Sectionals and helping out at the hospital, it's still kind of unnerving."

"Well, I believe in you. Let's give it a shot", said Alexander, and he took her hand gently and led her up to the stage.

"Names, please?" said the woman.

"Alexander Orenda and Emily Matthews", said Alexander.

"And what would you like to perform?"

"You pick this time", said Emily, and Alexander smiled.

"_Life Is A Highway_?"

"Sounds good", said Emily, and they went up to the stage.

"Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Alexander Orenda and Ms. Emily Matthews", said the woman, and Alexander and Emily proceeded to perform "Life Is A Highway" by Rascal Flatts in English and various Central American languages, including Spanish, Honduran, and Belizean Creole to ecstatic approval from the patrons, and they finished the song by facing each other with satisfied smiles on their faces.

"You know, Xavier's spot in the band is still vacant. You want in?"

"Sure, that'd be nice."

INTERLUDE

At a nearby table, Kurt and David had been watching the performance, impressed by Alexander and Emily's talent and chemistry.

"I have to say, Mr. Schue is really letting in unbelievable talent", said Kurt.

"Do you miss it?" asked David.

"Well, yeah, of course I do. And I really do think that staying with it could have done wonders for you."

"Oh, come on, I had a reputation to keep up."

"Yeah, maybe. David, I'm really very impressed with how far you've come in such a short time."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, when you were bullying me, I kind of saw you as more afraid of your life than of me. Now, I see you as a much stronger person, fully able to identify yourself as such, and I'm proud of you."

"Kurt, you remember how last year, I gave you a card saying that I thought I loved you?"

"Yes, of course. Why?"

"Well, I don't think I love you anymore. I know I do. You're the one person in my life that I've known never to let all the downsides of life get him down, even if I was one of them. That's one of the many things that I love about you. You helped me to see my future, happy, with a great job, a loving husband and kid, and an overall meaningful life. And I want to share that life with you, and only you."

Kurt had hung on every word, not quite believing what he was hearing.

"David, I'm really flattered, but…"

"I know you're with Blaine, but think about it. When you're with me, you won't have to worry about feeling alone or having all of this melodrama surround you. You'll have a guy who is willing to follow in your footsteps and become as strong and successful as you are, and who is willing to give everything to be with the one he loves."

"I have to admit, my relationship with Blaine is faltering way too much. He's already put us on a break. Tell you what: if you sing a song with me, I'll consider it a prelude to an actual first date."

"Sounds good to me. I've been practicing my singing since graduation."

"Really? What song?"

"Honestly, I really would like to perform it as a duet. I know it's a one-man song, but I would feel better knowing I have a more experienced person doing it with me."

"It would be an honor, David", said Kurt, and he followed David up to the stage, where they performed "Let Me Be Myself" by Three Doors Down to heavy applause from the other patrons. When they finished, they were so close to each other that they could practically feel the connection they had. Outside, Blaine was watching the entire thing with remorseful eyes.

THIS IS THE END TO THIS STORY. THANKS FOR THE REVIEWS. GREAT NEW STUFF IS COMING, SO STAY TUNED.


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